Title: Dark and Beautiful Nights
Series: The Covenant Series #3
Author: Betty Shreffler
Genre: PNR Romantic Suspense
Published: November 5, 2016
“Another amazingly addictive read in this gripping series.” ~Hashtag Minxes Love Books
“...a great addition to the Covenant Series! Just when I thought I knew where the plot was headed, it turned into a brand new direction and kept me guessing.” ~Goodreads Review by Melanie
One man will fight to keep her love while the other will do whatever it takes to win it...
Devotion keeps Kayci longing for Adrian's return. Dark magic is the only way to free him and its cruel seduction has captured Kayci in its embrace. Cassius, unwilling to lose the one thing he's longed for—his mate, fights for Kayci's heart and saves her from her biggest threat… herself.
Pulled between unrestrainable desire for Cassius and her devotion to Adrian, leaves Kayci suffering from the worst battle she's ever encountered…the one for her heart.
Cass took the glass from her hand and sniffed it. “What is it?”
Kayci shrugged. “The bartender is a witch. He makes it. It’s blood with some kind of potion in it. It makes me feel amazing.”
Cass studied the contents. His eyes drifted over the glass to her. “That’s my job.” He saw the arousal sweep over her face and it awakened his instinct. Yes. Your mate. Yours.
Kayci took the glass back from his hand and gulped it down.
Cass leaned on his arm. “Tell me, Kat. How’d you end up with pretty boy?” He motioned to Brad, sitting with his buddies, scowling at him.
Kayci rolled her eyes. “I met him a couple months ago, when I first starting using dark magic. I fed from him then. I ran into him again last night.”
“You sleep with him?” Cass asked, avoiding eye contact with her. He chugged more beer as the rising jealousy tightened his gut.
Kayci chuckled at his apparent discomfort with the subject. “No, not that it’s any of your business if I did.”
Cass set the beer on the counter and turned himself to face her. He rotated her stool toward him, putting her legs between his. “It is my business. You’re my mate. If you need a man’s touch, you come to me. Understand?”
Ohh! Why did his possessiveness irritate her and arouse her all at once? She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll do as I please, Cass. I’m not your mate.”
“I thought we’d already resolved this? You are my mate and I’m here to stay.”
She let out a frustrated breath of air. “You’re incredibly pushy.”
Cass grinned before placing his hands under her ass and scooting her closer to him. “I know.”
The blood and potion warmed her body, causing the usual euphoric sensation. As his provocative gaze met hers, her body ignited. The warming sensation turned to a harmonizing pulse and her body itched to have his hands caressing her, his lips passionately claiming hers. She gazed up at him, mesmerized by his beautiful wolf eyes and full lips. She reached up, unable to stop herself from running her finger along them. He bit her finger, gave it a flick of his tongue, and then claimed it with his mouth. Heat warmed her below, sending quick exuberant shocks of electricity from her belly, down and back. She grinned, fangs visible and eyes glazed with desire.
Cass saw the hunger in her eyes, causing his body to respond. Pressure extended his jeans and he kneaded her thighs in response. “I like what that drink does to you.” He winked.
Kayci bit her lip as desperate longing slammed against her, begging for release.
Cass’ eyes lowered, fixed on her lips. “You know what that does to me, don’t you?”
Kayci nodded, grinning, her mouth nearly salivating for a taste of him.
“Keep it up and I’ll bend you over this bar and take you in front of everyone,” he murmured breathlessly.
“You would, wouldn’t you?” she teased.
“Don’t challenge me, Kat. I’m barely restraining myself as it is.”
Kayci slid her fangs over her bottom lip and released it, just to watch the hunger grow vehemently in his eyes. “Why do you make me feel this way?” The ardency in her own voice startled her.
“I don’t know how to make it any clearer for you, you’re my mate, and once you accept it, we can get on with giving each other unrestrained pleasure.” The connotation of his promised desire dripped off his lips.
Unrestrained pleasure? How can I resist?
“And if I am your mate, what then?”
Cass took a strand of her hair in his hand and gave it a tantalizing tug before placing it behind her ear. When her body shivered with arousal, his instinct purred with satisfaction. “I claim you as mine, mark you…” He caressed her cheek. Her eyes closed as her breath quickened. “We’ll be tied forever. As my mate, I’ll love you, ensure you’re happy, protected, satisfied—always.”
She could hear the promise in his earnest voice. She opened her eyes to see the fire burning in his.
And what woman wouldn’t want all of that?
“What do you mean by mark me?” The idea of him biting her stirred her already yearning desire.
The excitement in her voice worsened the pressure on his jeans. He glanced around at their current location, returning to her fiery, lust-filled gaze. “This isn’t the best place for that conversation.”
She stared at him expectantly, licking her lips, bringing his fixed stare to them.
“Just remember—you asked.”
He tucked his massive hands under her thighs and gave her ass a tug, bringing her as close to him as she could get while still sitting on the stool, barely. He leaned closer, lowering his voice for her to hear his private share.
“When I make love to you, I want all of you. I want to ravage your body, take you beneath me, sink my teeth into you, claim you as mine. It will be the most passionate and erotic experience you’ve ever had and I know you’ll enjoy it and I’ll enjoy watching the pleasured moans escape those luscious lips.”
The heat of his breath on her ear and his strong, solid hand kneading the inside of her upper thigh had her trembling with need. His sensuous touch sparked heat and fire—ravenous fire. It gurgled in her belly, awakening after a long period of dormancy.
She bit her lip—hard. He leaned back to see her reaction. His eyes glimmered with satisfaction.
His captivating wolf eyes remained on her, stabbing right through her, to the deepest part of her.
“The funny thing about you, Kat, is your words always reject me, but your body begs me to satisfy it.”
Her breath escaped. Damn, he’s good. Her fangs stabbed her bottom lip as her body pulsed with desire. The potion’s affect helped his cause, betraying her. It was supposed to give her numbing pleasure not add to the aching need she had for him.
She closed her eyes and gave her head a shake. She scooted back on the stool before she clawed at the clothes covering him. She opened her eyes to see him grinning at her. That usual arrogant smile that said, he knew exactly what was going on inside her mind and body.
She stepped off the stool. Must have cold shower.
Cass’ hand grabbed a hold of her hip as she swayed, giving it a firm squeeze. She fell against his arms that he used to pull her closer, bringing her inches from his lips. He stared down at her, his wolf eyes studying her eyes, her expression.
He could see the struggle in her eyes—the longing, the confusion, and frustration. He would make things clear for her.
“It’s about time I start pissing you off.”
He brought his lips down on hers, claiming them with his own. The fire roiled in her belly, exploding like a volcano. She sunk into his lips, letting the sensation take her.
He dipped his tongue into her mouth, coaxing her further, tasting more of her, wanting more of her. Satisfaction filled him when she didn’t pull away. He held the nape of her neck and drove their kiss further. His hand squeezed her backside as he pulled her body against his. He needed her, needed her to give in. He couldn’t take her denial much longer. It was driving him wild. He needed to touch her, caress every part of her.
When their lips parted, she swayed at the dizziness that swam through her head and the extraordinary arousal throbbing between her thighs.
“Cass…”
“Yes, Kat?” He could hear the desire in her voice. He longed to satisfy it and to satisfy her. He brushed one of her curls behind her ear.
“I—”
“Want this as much as I do, don’t you beautiful?”
She did, she wanted to pounce on him like a panther on its prey and devour him one succulent sample at a time.
“How about I take you home?” he asked, never easing his affectionate hold on her.
“Yes,” is all she could sputter.
Betty Shreffler is a self-proclaimed nerd and nature enthusiast obsessed with folklore, photography, writing, reading, movies, board games, hiking, gardening and spending time with her husband and five fur babies. Not necessarily in that exact order though. During her outdoor adventures she's been face to face with an alligator, a bear and a coyote, making for some of the most memorable experiences of her life. She loves to capture and share the world's beauty through the lens of her beloved Nikon camera. Her work experience has been diverse from working as a Ranger for the National Park Service to management positions in Fortune 500 companies. She’s lived in four different states and moved homes twelve times. She received a BA in organizational management and minor in sociology, although her heart has always belonged to writing and photography. Growing up, she read romance or supernatural novels and jotted down poems and short stories to express her emotions and alleviate the characters' voices in her head. Not much has changed, only now her stories are lengthier and her characters more interesting.
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